The University of Denver survey was taken in the two days following the first presidential debate, which was hosted by the university. It shows Obama leading among likely Colorado voters by a slim margin, with 47% support to Romney's 43%, a difference that is within the poll's sampling error.

A CNN Poll of Polls taken before the debate, which averages three Colorado polls of likely voters from September 10 through 18, indicates Obama with 49% support to Romney's 46% in the state.

Following a lackluster performance by the president, a CNN/ORC International Poll right after Wednesday's showdown showed debate watchers rated Romney's energetic performance better than Obama's in their first matchup. Political pundits agreed.

The new survey shows a majority of Colorado voters followed the debate closely - 81% said they watched the debate, and another 14% said they had heard about it. And despite Obama's advantage in the state, voters who watched or heard about the debate said Romney won the matchup by a wide margin - 68% to Obama's 19%.

Of those responding to the survey, 47% were Obama supporters. Of that group, just 37% said the president did a better job at the debate.

According to the poll, 38% of likely voters in Colorado said their impression of Romney was improving. Only 18% of respondents said the same about Obama.

The Colorado poll also shows the president leading among independent voters by a wide margin - 48% to Romney 31%.

Colorado has nine electoral votes and is rated a toss-up on CNN's Electoral Map. The swing state has a large Latino population, a growing demographic whose support both parties are vying for as the weeks wind down to November.

The poll found that 63% of likely Colorado voters favor a policy allowing illegal immigrants who live and work in the United States the chance to keep their jobs with an opportunity to apply for legal status.

Obama's recent immigration policy - allowing some children of immigrants who came to the country illegally to defer deportation by two years if they meet certain requirements - is viewed favorably by a majority of respondents, with 68% supporting the policy.

The candidates will meet again in Hempstead, New York, in just over a week for the second presidential debate. Republican vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan and Vice President Joe Biden will face off Thursday in Danville, Kentucky in their one and only debate.

The University of Denver poll was conducted on October 4 and 5 via telephone interviews with 604 likely Colorado voters age 18 and over. The poll has a sampling error of plus or minus four percentage points.

soundoff(56 Responses)

OpinionsToGo

WesMonroe, I think that we are seeing that medicare is the major policy in this election. Obama has made health care affordable and secure, and Romney wants to end that, ensuring that the medical care industry continues to make rapacious profits while denying care to people who might get sick and cost them money. The public is not buying Romney's snake oil, though. They are already benefiting from Obama's plan and are sticking with it.

As for bipartisanship, Obama knocked himself out promoting bi-partisanship, but the Republicans refused to cooperate.

October 8, 2012 12:43 am at 12:43 am |

nmercy

romney came in with so many lies and flipflops and that got obama's head twisted. Obama decided if he cannot even tell American people the truth looking them in the eye, then the whole debate is a joke for romney.

October 8, 2012 12:58 am at 12:58 am |

Darrell

Wes Monroe....Obamacare was a Republican idea...Obama included many Republican ideas in the final bill...Republicans acted like a bunch of 10 year olds and decided to oppose Obama no matter what....So, it was not Obama "my way or the highway"...he was not the mean, angry black man who would refuse to cooperate. Remember: The number one objective of the Republicans, as uncle Mitch said, is to make Obama a one term president.

October 8, 2012 01:19 am at 1:19 am |

Dejavu65

Romney is a lie and a joke...All he is doing is pandering to voters to get votes. If he were ever within 10 feet of the White House...Middle class as we know it will be over....Wake Up.. All his policies for the past year and half support his friends guys like Donald Trump and Wall Street!! Obama/Biden 2012!!

October 8, 2012 03:24 am at 3:24 am |

200 TON HAMMER

how many republicans have seen mitt romney whole plan
on paper,not the middleclass republicans,mitt romney
was able too pass one good bill as govenor,that's
the health care law in Massachusetts,he did not
run for another 5 year term in Massachusetts.
I mean come on mitt you wreck havoc on the
great commonwealth state of Massachusetts
with hundreds of tax fees and you outsource
jobs away from Massachusetts,thats a fact mitt
and now you applying for a job,as the president
of the Unitied States of America,with out showing
ten or more years of Tax Returns????????????????????
and your personal slogan,I Tell You When I am in
the WhiteHouse is a Dreaming and scheming Gimmicks
And Games,Stress struggles and Strains,of not
been Truthful????????????

October 8, 2012 06:18 am at 6:18 am |

ghost

A change is not what this country needs. It is a change in congress. Get rid of all who is unwilling to compromise to keep this country going forward. That means a lot of repugs should be unemployeed on November 7. OBAMA/BIDEN 2012